Exchange Traded Funds

A low-cost option for seeking market-based returns.

With an exchange traded fund (ETF), you can invest in a basket of securities that mimic the overall market or a specific segment of it. Your choice of market segment could be anything from oil to corporate bonds, or a region like Asia or South America, or simply the S&P 500.

ETFs tend to have low fees because most are passively managed. However, actively managed ETFs are also available to investors. If suitable and meets your investments objectives, you can buy and sell ETFs like stocks; they trade continuously when the markets are open. You can also track changes in the assets in most ETFs on a daily basis. And because of the way ETFs are structured, depending on your individual circumstances, your taxes on gains can be lower than on other products.